Miami among top 50 in Kiplinger's "Best Values" list

12/27/2012

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Miami University makes the top 50 in the "100 Best Values in Public Colleges" list by Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. The list, released Dec. 27, is in the February 2013 issue and ranks Miami at 47 among in-state best values nationwide and also 47th for out-of-state public university values.

Miami has placed in the “100 Best Values” list every year since Kiplinger's began publishing the rankings in 1998. Last year, Miami ranked 52nd on the list for in-state values and 49th for out-of-state value.

The editors start with data from nearly 600 public four-year schools. The list is then narrowed down to about 130 schools based on measures of academic quality — including SAT or ACT scores, admission and retention rates, student-faculty ratios, and four- and six-year graduation rates. The editors then rank each school based on cost and financial aid. Academic quality carries more weight than costs.

“We applaud this year’s top 100 schools for their efforts to maintain academic standards while meeting the financial needs of their students,” said Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. Miami University placed in the top 100 thanks to its high four-year graduation rate, low average student debt at graduation, abundant financial aid, a low sticker price, and overall great value, said Kiplinger’s.

Kiplinger’s is one among many national rankings that recognize Miami’s commitment to a personal and rich college experience, contributing to high graduation rates, and preparing students for lifelong success. With median time to a degree at 3.7 years, Miami has one of the highest graduation rates among national public universities.

Recently, U.S. News & World Report ranked Miami University third in the nation among top-ranked schools for "efficiently spend(ing) limited resources in order to produce the highest possible educational quality."